Swollen abdomen

[shep]

I have a large koi with a swollen or enlarged abdomen. Was wandering if anybody knows what it could be & a cure. My pond is 3400 gals. I have started to put salt in to maybe kill parasites & bad bacteria. Pond is 3 1/2 foot deep & plenty of airation.

 

[jneg]

Is the fish swimming normally or does the swelling makes it float?

 

[shep]

The fish swims nomally & eats good.

 

[jneg]

You are using floating food? I've seen some fish that get so exited that they gulp in air and they are no able to release it and a bubble forms until it passes. I'm not saying this is the case. There is aslo a disease called bloat that forms an air bubble and impedes the fish from swimming correctly. I would try to get some medicated food to him if you can.

 

[shep]

I've started to feed medicated food yesterday.

 

[j.w]

If it's a female it could be egg bound...........if male then of course no. Looks like there is some kind of red mark right where the swelling is located. Could it by a puncture wound and infected?

 

[shep]

Can you suggest somthing to do if it egg bound?

 

[j.w]

I don't know myself but I found this on the net:
http://www.koi-blog....-bound-koi.html

You can google "what to do if koi is egg bound" but from others that I have read they either absorb the eggs into their bodies eventually or sometimes things can go wrong and they can stay that way for a long time. Some say it's not life threatening. Maybe you can find more answers from somebody who is more familiar with this condition. I never have had it happen to my goldfish and I don't have koi.

 

[j.w]

Hey I found this info on helping w/ egg bound fish:
http://www.koiphen.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-15673.html

 

[shep]

Thank you for researching this site. Its imformative, but really donot know if this is the problem.

 

[fishin4cars]

That is not a egg bound fish, that is internal, looks to me like it could be a tumor, or seriuos internal infection. either way it really needs to be treated outside of the pond. I highly recommend seeing if you can locate a vet that can take a look if you want to save the fish. You HAVE to know what your dealing with before treating or you can be treating for something that won't do one bit of good. If it is a tumor feeding it medicated food won't do any good and it will only make the other fish in the pond less likely to respond when and if they need medicated food. Also be aware that in some cases if a tumor should rupture and it's contagious it can effect every fish in the pond. It doesn't look like Bloat, to far back in the abdomin, It doesn't look like dropsy, again to far back and the scales don't appear to stick out except just at the point of the most buldge. Egg bound the whole abdomin would be swollen and the fish usually don't eat well as the eggs press against the intestines and cause the fish not to digest as it should, however though this condition could be caused by simple intestinal blockage that could be turning into a secondary infection. If your really wanting to save the fish a vet and a microscope are the best way to find out what it is and how to treat. Oh and treating it in a hospital tank is the best way to trat any fish that has that serious of a problem.

 

[shep]

Thanks Larkin, I am going to try to catch it & isolate. I have a 100 gal. tank but I don't really any vets around here,maybe one I'll check.

thank you Shep

 

[fishin4cars]

If you don't have any vets, try checking with college or high school Biology classes. We have a guy at the LSU facility that will do microscope slides and tell you what he found, he doesn't give any advice on treatment but at least properly identifying the problem makes getting treatments a lot easier.

 

[jneg]

Great advise!!!